There have been few events in tech that have been more heavily hyped about a gadget less innovative than the iPad mini. Not a day goes by that some rumor, mock-up, or other item hits the tech press about a device that officially speaking doesn’t exist.

If I sound unenthused, it’s because literally the only thing the iPad Mini is bringing to the table is a smaller form factor. That’s it. If for some reason you needed two inches off your iPad, or buy your consumer electronics based on fashion instead of common sense and are also not able to pay for a $500 tablet, then this is the iPad for you.

But, as I’ve noted before, the iPad Mini is in fact a terrible idea. Not that it’ll be a bad tablet, it’s just a shrunken iPad 2 by all accounts. I fail to see how charging a $100 premium in a market with a $200 sweet spot is in any way a winner. Apple isn’t leading this market, it’s following. This is like getting excited because Ford is putting out a station wagon version of its sedan or Quaker is putting out another flavor of Oatmeal Squares; there’s no innovation here.

Anyway, the event will be on October 23rd, and we’ll cover it just in case Apple is instead revealing something important. But if not, we can at least take solace in the fact that hearing about this thing is almost over.